Dos Caminos

675 Hudson StNew York, NY 10014

Although the guacamole at Dos Caminos vies for the best in the city, the rest of the menu falls comparatively short, particularly for the price. But with plenty of outdoor seating and a long list of salted margaritas, sometimes a stop at Dos Caminos on a summer night is the perfect idea.

I venture to Dos Caminos because 1) I live nearby, and 2) I crave homemade guacamole every other day, and theirs manages to showcase creamy, fresh avocados subtly balanced with salty tomatoes. Fortunately for the restaurant, those two reasons tend to outweigh the otherwise lackluster food and service. Trying to be aloof, the wait staff often just appears confused, and even around 6:30 on a Tuesday night, the food and drinks arrive at the table far later than they should.

While an ideal night for me would just involve their nearly impeccable guacamole with a trio of salsas (the menu says that a $14 order serves just 2 people, but honestly the guacamole is the only item on the menu that comes massively portioned and could easily serve a group of 4 to 6), sometimes a full dinner is necessary. In that case, I like to order rounds of the El Camino margarita with Milagro Blanco, triple sec, and fresh lime juice, a bewitching elixir for just $11, and their Pescado tacos, which though overpriced for the quality and quantity, include freshly grilled mahi-mahi, spicy slaw, and guacamole, topped with smoked chile aioli. Anything more expensive than the tacos here simply isn't worth it.